Fleas are tiny, fast and hard to catch, so you often notice the effects first. Bites around the ankles and a pet that will not stop scratching are the usual starting points.
Adult fleas are dark brown, flat from side to side and only one to three millimetres long. They have no wings but strong back legs, and they jump surprisingly far for their size. You can spot them against a pale carpet or a white sock pulled up to the knee, where they show up as tiny dark specks that suddenly hop away. The cat flea is the most common type, and it feeds on dogs and people as well as cats.
Where the bites fall tells a story. Fleas jump from the floor, so they tend to reach feet and lower legs first, and a person who sits on a pet's favourite sofa may be bitten at the waist or arms as well. Bites that appear in groups of two or three, sometimes in a rough line, are a classic pattern, although other insects can do the same.
Flea droppings are made of digested blood, and look like grains of black pepper in a pet's coat or on bedding. Comb your pet over a sheet of white paper, then dampen the specks. If they smear into a reddish-brown stain, you have flea dirt. This simple test is more dependable than looking for the insects themselves.
Bed bugs do not jump, are bigger and live in mattresses and furniture, with bites mostly on skin that is exposed in bed. Fleas favour carpets and pet areas, and bites are more often on the legs. Carpet beetle larvae can cause itchy skin but are bristly and slow, while mosquitoes or mites may leave similar marks. Because bites alone vary, look for the insects or dirt as proof.
Eggs fall off the pet and settle wherever it rests. Larvae burrow into carpet fibres and cracks in floors, then spin cocoons. Pupae can wait for weeks or longer, responding to warmth, vibration and breath. That is why people see new fleas after returning from holiday or moving into a house that has been empty for some time.
A simple trap can help. Place a shallow dish of soapy water under a night light on the floor. Fleas are drawn to the warmth and light, jump in and cannot escape. Catching a few overnight confirms activity in that room, though catching none does not prove the room is clear.
If you are not sure what you have, call 0113 347 0014 or message on WhatsApp. We offer free surveys, and a photograph of the insect or the dirt can help us advise you.
Yes. Fleas can come from a previous occupier's pets, from visiting animals, from wildlife using the garden or loft, or from a neighbouring home. Pupae left in carpets can also hatch when an empty property is reoccupied.
Comb a pet or run a fine comb through the carpet edge over white paper, then dampen any black specks. Reddish smears show flea dirt. Wearing white socks and walking across carpets can also reveal jumping insects.
Most people can be bitten, but reactions vary. Some people develop itchy red welts that last for days while others barely notice. Because the response is so varied, bites are a clue rather than proof.
Tell us what you have seen and where, and we will come back to you. There are no call-out charges and surveys are free for homes and businesses.
